Global demand for direct-reduction (DR) grade iron-ore pellets is forecast to increase following the commissioning of Tosyali Algeria's new direct reduced iron (DRI) plant."In Algeria [Tosyali] has two 2.5 million-tonne-per-year DRI plants coming on stream - one has already been commissioned and the other is due to be commissioned next year," a source familiar with the matter told Fastmarkets.Tosy...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound on Friday December 21 after a jump on the previous day. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $72.24 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.02 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.07 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.02 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $74.16 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.19 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $63.93 per tonne cfr Qi...Read More

Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Friday December 21*Copper -$89.73 (-620.16yuan)Aluminium -$397.37 (-2,746.49 yuan) Zinc -$8.32 (-57.53 yuan) Nickel $239.71 (1,656.83 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month prices...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower during morning trading on Friday December 21, hindered by weak equity markets and oil futures which have kept investors risk-averse. The S&P 500 Index fell 1.58% this morning amid fears that the US government could face a shutdown and continued economic pressure, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 2% on similar fears. Th...Read More

Metro International Trade Services has withdrawn from London Metal Exchange warehouse services in Europe with immediate effect, while the company's UK arm has simultaneously delisted a warehouse in Port Klang, according to a notice from the exchange on Friday December 21. In July, Fastmarkets reported that Metro's owner, Reuben Brothers, entered into advanced discussions regarding the sale of a ma...Read More

The seaborne coking coal market tumbled on Friday December 21 amid lower offers, and consequently, transactions concluded below prevailing levels.A shipment of premium mid-vol hard coking coal was sold to a South Asian end user at around $220 per tonne fob Australia during the day, Fastmarkets has heard.A top Australian brand was sold to an end user in southern China at $205 per tonne cfr China, m...Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More

The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Friday December 21:Minor metalsAntimony MMTA standard grade II, $/tonne: $7,700-7,900 per tonne from $7,750-7,900Bismuth MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 47,000-49,500 yuan per tonne from 48,000-50,000 yuanCadmium MB free market min 99.95%, cents/lb: 117-132 from 120-135Cadmium MB free market min 99.99%, cents/lb: 123-138 from 123-140Chromium...Read More

An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.See also:2018 REVIEW: Eight...Read More

December was a slow month for stainless steel demand in Europe, according to distributors who have also complained since October of diminishing margins. "The market was lousy this month, very quiet demand. Only the first couple days of December were ok, but even then they weren't great. Prices have been going down for months, we're not making margins, so...Read More

Turkish scrap import prices decreased on Friday December 21, with buyers bidding at lower prices, sources told Fastmarkets MB.European origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) was on offer at $290 per tonne cfr to Turkey, while buyers were bidding $275-280 per tonne cfr for the material. One seller told Fastmarkets that...Read More

Prices for alloy steel scrap imported into Europe weakened further this week, with the bearish trend expected to persist into the first quarter of 2019, market sources told Fastmarkets MB on Friday December 21.Despite European sources saying they had been pleasantly surprised by the level of trading activity that took place in December so far, given that the Christmas holiday is just around the co...Read More

The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday December 21:Aluminium scrapCast: ?,?970-1,010 per tonne from ?,?960-1,010Mixed turnings 6%: ?,?820-870...Read More

Bulk-shipment bookings in Vietnam and South Korea have not prevented Asia ferrous scrap prices from continuing on a downward trend.Market participants were not hugely active in the market and reported reduced business activities in key import markets due to a year-end demand lull.Vietnam Fastmarkets' import price assessment for heavy melting scrap (HMS) 1&2 (80:20) sold into Vietnam was $316-317 p...Read More

Two things have me becoming more and more bullish with respect to gold prices. Stock market weakness, or should I say carnage, has left many investors battered and looking for a safe haven in the storm. Like gold. The U.S. dollar has the potential to go lower as interest rates hikes are potentially moderated and as the economy going forward has many downside risks. A lower U.S. dollar is positive...Read More

Gregory Mannarino started his financial career working for the securities and trading arm of the now defunct Bear Stearns before the dot-com bubble. He is an active trader of the capital markets and has published several books pertaining to finance, global economics, and equity trading; His most recent book is titled Ultimate Guide To Money and The Markets (free ebook). Gregory currently hosts a b...Read More

"I think it's fair to say Americans will remain on the ground after the physical defeat of the caliphate, until we have the pieces in place to ensure that that defeat is enduring."Continue...Read More

A BMO Capital Markets report presented the terms of the transaction and related financing. Pretium's Brucejack MineIn a Dec. 18, 2018, research note, BMO Capital Markets analyst Andrew Kaip reported that Pretium Resources Inc. (PVG:TSX; PVG:NYSE) bought back the 8% gold and silver stream on the Brucejack mine for US$237 million and refinanced the company's existing construction credit facility, b...Read More

James Pettit, CEO of Aben Resources talks with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable about his company's summer drill program in the Golden Triangle, as well as projects in the Yukon and Saskatchewan. Maurice Jackson: Welcome to Proven and Probable. I'm your host, Maurice Jackson. Joining us today is James Pettit, the president, CEO and director of Aben Resources Ltd. (ABN:TSX.V; ABNAF:OTCQB). M...Read More

As we’ve been saying, the stock market will have great influence on Gold. It has been easy to see in recent months.The S&P 500 has cracked, losing both its 200-day and 400-day moving averages. Gold and gold stocks have benefitted and gained in recent months even with a stable to rising US Dollar.The past 65 years of history shows us that in almost any context (but not all) the time betwe...Read More